Memory Lane Up In The Headlights
by Agent Gibbs
Summary: The title is from the song Dirt Road Anthem. Picks up where "Anything But Mine" leaves off. Two Marines and a Mossad Agent are murdered over Independence Day Weekend in Tel Aviv at the American Embassy. With this news, my OC Cooper's closely guarded past starts to unravel. Slight romance will blossom, trust me. T for Profanity, sexual innuendo, violence.
1. A New Case

"Ya know," Cooper said, "these last couple weeks have taught me something. And that lesson inspired two new rules."

"What rules are those?" Tony asked, waiting for a chance to pounce.

"2 & 3. Rule 2: Shit happens. Rule 3: Live with no regrets."

The gears were spinning in Tony's head. "No regrets, huh?"

"None. And you can stow your sophomoric jokes for another day. Otherwise, I'll call Ziva's psycho cousin that wanted to castrate _me_ and give her _your_ name."

"That's cruel. And I have no doubt that you would do it either."

"Exactly. And you were right, Tony. I was thinking with my Mini Cooper. Rules 2 & 3."

No regrets. That was the only way to live.

Gibbs came out of his office and shouted into the bullpen. "Hey! All four of you, MTAC, now!"

As the MCRT was heading up to MTAC, Tony looked at Cooper and said, "Keep your head on straight, Kid."

"Don't I always?" McGeek opened his mouth. "**Shut it**."

Tony head-slapped Cooper & McGeek as the team got to MTAC. As was the case with the YOLO Murders, Gibbs was waiting.

"More YOLO Murders?" Tony asked.

"No," Gibbs said. "But you'll need a moderator."

"Why?" Tony asked. Gibbs just looked at him.

"Director, your video call is ready," one of the MTAC Control officers said.

"Good," Gibbs said. "Put it up."

The feed went live, and the team was face to face with Eli David, the Director of Mossad.

"Shit happens," Cooper muttered to himself. Head-slap.


	2. The Truth

"_Shalom_, Director David," Gibbs said. "How can NCIS help Mossad today?"

"_Director Gibbs, a Mossad operative was murdered on Saturday, along with two United States Marines. We have reason to believe that their murderer is United States Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade David Morris. He has not been seen since Saturday, and we suspect he might be back in the United States._"

"What are you basing this hunch on, Director David?"

"_The NCIS Agent assigned to your Embassy in Tel Aviv, Special Agent Dwayne Wilson, matched the rounds pulled from the victims to Lieutenant Morris' Navy-issue Berretta._"

"I appreciate the information, Eli. Just one question: Why are you coming to NCIS with this? I'd expect Mossad to want to handle this one in-house."

"Mossad can't run international ops in countries that are Allied with Israel anymore without informing another agency in that country," Tony cut in. "It's been that way for the last six months."

"_Unfortunately, DiNozzo is right,_" Eli said through gritted teeth. "_So I am sending one of my Officers to assist you._"

"Director David, does Mossad have any idea where Morris is right now?" Gibbs asked.

"_We have tracked Lieutenant Morris to the American City of Cusset, in the State of Georgia._"

Cooper's eyes flashed scarlet as he made his way out of MTAC. Tony caught the look on Gibbs' face and followed his teammate.

"Cooper!" Tony yelled, tailing his Junior Agent into the bullpen. "What the hell was that?"

"What was what?" Cooper asked. Head-slap.

"Eli David says 'Cusset, Georgia' and you run out of MTAC like your balls are on fire. What the hell's going on?"

"You want the truth? I grew up there. The last time I was there was six years ago, on my 25th birthday. I just made PO2, and Morris just graduated from OCS, about to make Ensign. We were celebrating."

"What happened?"

"There was this girl there. Her fake I.D. said she was 21; she wasn't even 17. Morris kept buying her drinks and tried to take her home. She resisted, and he got violent. He raped her and then killed her. I tried informing my CO, but he wouldn't hear it. Morris was his favorite."

"Who was the girl?"

"My sister. That's why I became an NCIS Agent. I told Morris that the next time I saw him, I would kill him. Now he's gone back to Cusset. He's probably hoping the whole damn town forgot by now."

"Did they?"

"It's possible. There are a few that wouldn't have. The bartender sure as hell wouldn't have forgotten. My parents and my little brother didn't. Hell, my brother joined the Corps that year when he turned 18. His last assignment..." Cooper trailed off. "Son of a bitch."

"What?"

"His last assignment was at the Embassy in Tel Aviv. Morris killed two Marines and a Mossad Officer in Tel Aviv on Saturday. This is no coincidence." Cooper pulled out his phone. "What's that Gibbs Rule 44?"

"First things first, hide the women and children. Why?"

"Because, if Morris is back in Cusset, he's gonna go for my sister-in-law and my five-year-old nephew. If Morris killed Chris, he knows about my nephew. CJ might already be growing up without a father because of that bastard. I don't want him growing up an orphan." Cooper called his sister-on-law. She picked up after the first ring.

"_Hello?_"

"Hey, brat. It's Doug. You hear from Chris lately?"

"_Not since he landed in Tel Aviv a month ago. Why?_"

"Well, the bastard that killed Nicole is back in Cusset. This past Saturday, he was in Tel Aviv. He killed a Mossad Officer and two Marines." Cooper looked up and saw Tony on his phone. Tony shook his head.

"_Is Chris okay?_"

"My Team Leader just confirmed it. Lieutenant Junior Grade David Morris, the same bastard that killed Nicole, killed Chris."

"_No. NO! What am I going to do?_"

"Listen to me. Until he's caught or killed, you have to hide. My director has this rule, number 44. 'First things first, hide the women and children.' Take CJ and get to my parents' place. Don't tell him anything until NCIS gets there. Molly, I'm sorry."

"_I know. I'll see you when you get here._" Click.

Cooper sighed. He dropped his phone on his desk, then looked up and saw Ziva, McGeek, and even Gibbs in the bullpen.

"You alright, Cooper?" Gibbs asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Cooper replied.

"Well, you just found out that the man that killed your brother is in your hometown."

"That's only **_part_** of the story, Director." Cooper was becoming increasingly agitated. "Six years ago, then-Ensign David Morris raped and murdered my 16-year old sister. Back home, it's considered a cold case. I told the son of a bitch that if I got wind he was in Cusset ever again, **_I'd_** be the one that put the bullet through his head."

"Cooper, you'll get your chance." The elevator dinged, and Eli's Mossad Liaison walked off.


	3. Not Who's Expected

"Director Gibbs?" It was Liat, the Mossad Officer that McGeek once mistakenly called 'The New Ziva.' Needless to say, that never happened again.

Gibbs turned around. "I expected to see Officer Ben-Gidon."

"I volunteered," Liat said. She turned to Ziva and started speaking in Hebrew. "You were right. The bastard used me, and then he tried to leave me for dead in Iran when Ahmedinajad was taken down a year ago."

"What did you expect?" Ziva replied. "Malachi's only purpose is to do whatever Eli tells him to, without questioning whatever consequences may result from those actions. He is what Tony would call a 'brown-noser.' Do not let him get to you; you are better off that way."

As Ziva and Liat were talking, Tony looked at Cooper, whose mouth was agape, staring at Liat's butt. Tony sent Cooper a text message. "_Close ur mouth, Probie. And wipe the drool off ur chin._"

Gibbs cleared his throat loudly. "You two can catch up later," he said to Liat and Ziva. "Right now, you have an investigation to conduct. McGee, get a map and-"

"Director," Cooper said, "You don't need a map. I grew up in Cusset. I know every road in and out of that town, and how to get there from Washington."

"Works for me," Tony said. "Gear up. McGee, gas the truck. Ziva, gas the Charger. Liat-"

"She can ride with me," Cooper said.

"How do you figure?" Tony asked.

"Because y'all don't know Cusset like I do. When we get there, **_someone_** will have to keep Tinkerbell here from shootin' everyone." He motioned to Liat.

"Why would you have to stop me from shooting people?" Liat asked Cooper.

"Because, a few of my parents' friends are what you would call, uh, un-friendly to anyone that's not American. But you'll be with NCIS Agents, so they **_might_** go easy on you."

"And if they do not 'go easy' on me?"

"My parents have a makeshift shooting range in their back yard that I set up when I was in sixth grade. You can vent your anger there."

"Why are you two still here?" Tony asked.

"We're goin'. What're you gonna do about Ari and Tali?"

"I texted Abby. She said she'd watch the rugrats until we get back. Now get going. And if you see Ziva and McGeek, tell them to pack a toothbrush."

"Pretty sure they know that," Cooper said, escorting Liat to the elevator, with Tony following.

"How do you figure?" Tony asked.

"Edenvale," Cooper replied. He then started with the 'Dueling Banjo' sequence. Head-slap. "Guess I earned that."

"Duh. So exactly **_how_** did you plan to **_drive_** to Cusset?"

"Figured I'd take my truck. There's still more than a few dirt roads there, so a four-wheel drive truck would be ideal."

"You take one wrong turn, and McGee will be on point, with a GPS."

"Cusset's a boondock town. It ain't on no GPS."

"What are 'boondock towns'?" Liat asked.

"I got this, boss," Cooper said. "Liat, 'boondock towns' are American towns so small that they're not programmed into a GPS System. If you wanna find one of these towns, you need a map or someone that grew up there. However, Cusset is easy to find because of its proximity to Fort Benning Army Base."

The elevator dinged at the ground floor.

"After you, boss," Cooper said.

Tony walked off the elevator, giving Cooper another quick brain-duster.

"Does that happen a lot?" Liat asked, stepping off the elevator.

"More often than not," Cooper replied. He shook the cobwebs out of his head and hurried after Liat and Tony.


	4. Ain't Nothin' Never Easy

Out in the parking lot...

"OY!" Cooper yelled. "Wrong truck, Tinkerbell."

"The dossier my control officer made about you said you drive a Ford F-150," Liat said, walking over to Cooper.

"It's true, but that '90s Caveman Edition belongs to Gibbs. This is my truck: A fully loaded 2013 F-150 'Raptor' Edition with a custom designed V-12 Engine, jacked-up suspension, 26-inch rims, and all the mud on the tires." He sort of smirked as he opened the passenger side door.

0930.

After leaving the Navy Yard and hitting the interstate, Cooper finally asked Liat, "What else does your Mossad dossier say about me?"

Liat hesitated. "Your father served in the United States Army. You were born on Fort Benning Army Base 20 July, 1984 at 1057 hours. Your full name is Douglas James Cooper. You are the oldest and last surviving of three siblings. You wrestled and played football in high school and also have black belts in Judo, Tae Kwon-do, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. You enlisted in the United States Navy at 17. You won the Navy and Marine Corps Mixed Martial Arts Tournament every year until you retired."

"Is that all?"

"No. The file also said that you served in the Military Police, and that your right canine tooth was removed."

"That tooth was **_not_** removed. It was knocked out in a fight while I was in high school."

"What happened?"

"There was this bastard that had been giving me trouble since my Freshman Year. By my Senior Year, I'd had enough. One day, he ambushed me from behind. He started showing off like he was a badass for attacking someone from behind. When I got up, he wasn't so tough."

"What did you do?"

"I threw the first punch when I was back on my feet. The next punch he threw was his last. He knocked out my tooth, and I responded with a well-placed kick to the back of his head." Cooper smiled and stuck his tongue through the hole where his tooth used to be. "He's still alive and wants to kick my ass."

"Has he tried?"

"He tried the last time I was home, which was six years ago. It was the same result, too. Only this time, I was wearing Combat boots, so he got a concussion." Cooper sighed. "Something else happened that night. And I haven't gone back to Cusset since."

"Are you going to tell me?" The look on Liat's face said she wanted to know.

"That night, the guy that we're all after raped and killed my sister. And this past Saturday, one of the Marines he killed in Tel Aviv was my brother." Cooper's knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel. "I plan to personally kill the bastard."

"You will have to get in line. The Mossad operative that he killed was my uncle."

"I'm sorry." That was all Cooper could think to say.

He couldn't think to say anything else, so he plugged his iPod into his stereo. He hit 'shuffle,' picked a song, and just let it play. The song he chose was _Angel Eyes_, by Love and Theft. He started singing with the song.

"_There's a little bit of devil in her angel eyes. She's a little bit of heaven with a wild side. Got a rebel heart a country mile wide. There's a little bit of devil in her angel eyes. There's a little bit of devil in her angel eyes._"

As the song finished, Cooper felt a small amount of pressure on his leg. He looked down and figured that the jet lag had caught up with Liat, because she was out cold. She looked peaceful, and he couldn't help but smile.

1830. Liat woke up as Cooper signaled the team that he needed to re-fuel.

"What time is it?" Liat asked.

"1830," Cooper replied. He opened the center console. "You want a Monster?"

"_Toda._" Liat grabbed a Monster Import from the console, and when she took the sticker off of the can, she stuck it on Cooper's cheek.

Cooper smiled. "Cute." He pulled off the interstate and stopped at a Flying J's gas station, with everyone else behind him. He had forgotten about the Monster sticker on his face until McGeek said something.

"Cooper, what's that on your face?"

"Cram it, McLonely," Cooper snapped back. He walked inside the store, and his gut started telling him something wasn't right.

There were three men standing together in a corner, wearing trench coats. His first thought was _Beverly Hills Cop_, when the two idiots tried robbing the strip club.

He walked up to the cashier while typing something on his phone. "$80 on pump 4, the good stuff."

Cooper showed his phone screen to the clerk. "_I'm Special Agent Cooper, NCIS. Those 3 guys in the trench coats are about to rob u. TRUST ME. Call the police NOW._"

"Eighty worth of the good stuff on 4. You got it. Enjoy the rest of your day."

Cooper walked out, back to his truck, just as the guys in the trench coats pulled their guns.

He started pumping his gas and said, "If those cops don't get here soon, we're gonna have to do something."

The entire team looked at Cooper. "What?" Tony asked.

Cooper motioned to the mini-mart, where three morons were robbing the place.

"Damn. Ziva, McGee, gear up. Cooper, you stay here. Watch her." Tony motioned to Liat, and Cooper gave a thumbs-up.

While the other three moved toward the store, Cooper opened the door on the driver's side and grabbed a gun case from the back seat. In the case was his grandfather's M1 Garand, loaded and ready to fire. He didn't have time to do anything else because bullets started flying.

Cooper tossed Liat his sidearm and took aim with the M1. He popped off a headshot at the guy McGee was shooting at as Tony and Ziva subdued the other two. It was only then that the police showed up. After a brief shouting match with the Georgia State Police, everything was cleared up and the team turned over the two morons that didn't get killed. After the State Police left, Tony turned his attention to Cooper.

"That was an impressive shot," Tony said.

"Thanks, boss," Cooper replied.

"Why'd you take it?"

"Because if I didn't do something, McGee would be a McCorpse right about now. And in the world of _Deep Six_, with Tommy, Lisa, McGregor, and new Agent Collins, McGee would turn into a McZombie."

"Clever. How did 'McCorpse' and 'McZombie' never come to my mind?"

Cooper hung up the gas nozzle and climbed into his truck. "No idea," Cooper said, starting his truck and leaving. He turned to Liat. "Welcome to Georgia. Ain't nothin' never easy."


	5. Memory Lane Up In The Headlights

After another four hours on the road, the MCRT finally hit the Cusset Town Line. _Dirt Road Anthem_ hit Cooper's speakers. "Oh, that's cruel," he joked, rolling down his windows and cranking up the volume on the stereo.

"_Yeah, I'm chillin' on a dirt road. Laid back, swervin' like I'm George Jones. Smoke rollin' out the window, an ice-cold beer sittin' in the console. Memory lane up in the headlights. It's got me reminiscin' on them good times. I'm turnin' off a real life drive. And that's right, I'm hittin' easy street on mud tires._"

Cooper couldn't believe that he was back after all these years. He ran his hand over his face; the Monster sticker was still on his cheek, and he started laughing about it. He found to the police station like he never left. The sheriff came running out of the police station as soon as _Dirt Road Anthem_ hit his ears like it was playing right next to him. Cooper was laughing as he killed the ignition and climbed out of his truck.

"Jesus, Sheriff," Cooper said with a smile. "Did someone stick a snake in your shorts?"

"That was you, Cooper," the Sheriff snapped.

"That was **_fifteen years ago_**! And you weren't the sheriff then; you were a Probie. And you couldn't even prove that I did it, either. FACE!"

"Before you leave, I will prove it."

Cooper changed the subject when he felt Tony's hand collide with the back of his head.

"Sheriff Albert Fox, Special Agents Anthony DiNozzo, Ziva David-DiNozzo and Timothy McGee, NCIS."

"Why're y'all here?"

"Sheriff Fox, we're investigating a murder," Tony said. "And the main suspect was rumored to be in this town."

"Well, can you give me a name?" Fox asked.

"Lieutenant Junior Grade **_David Morris_**," Cooper snapped.

"Isn't he the guy that killed your sister?"

"Can we discuss this inside?" Tony asked.

"Of course," Fox answered. "After you."

Tony turned to Cooper, who was still outside. "You coming, Cooper?"

"One minute," Cooper answered. He went back to his truck to wake up Liat. He opened her door and proceeded to try waking her up. "Hey, wake up. We hit Cusset."

Liat turned her head and... Cooper wasn't sure if it was because Liat was still half-asleep, but she planted a kiss on him that he would remember forever. He couldn't think of anything else to do except to kiss her back, so that's exactly what he did. Nothing could ruin this moment. And then McGeek did.

"Cooper, Tony wants to know if you're on your way."

"Gimme a minute, McCockblock!" He turned back to Liat. "Yeah, so... We're here." Liat started laughing. "What's so funny?"

"You look like you were hit on the head," Liat said, still laughing. "And you still have that Monster sticker on your cheek."

"Well, you **_did_** just kiss me. And as for the sticker, I forgot it was there. Now come on. We gotta brief the sheriff."


	6. The Reason For The Kiss

_**A/N: This is a bit of a look into Cooper's time in the Navy; shows that he has some history with a certain Mossad Agent.**_

After an excruciating three hours of briefing Sheriff Fox, the team was pointed to a local motel, one that Cooper vouched for. Apparently, he had taken a few dates there.

Where everyone else had taken a room, Cooper decided to sleep in the bed of his truck. He threw down a couple of sleeping bags and dropped, hoping that sleep would come fast. It didn't, and so he just stared at the stars. He kept thinking about the kiss. Part of him wanted to know why Liat kissed him, but then again, part of him didn't want to know.

He hopped out of the truck bed, grabbed his SIG and his flashlight, and took a walk into the woods. When he got back, he saw someone messing around in his truck. He drew his SIG and approached the truck, but what he saw was not what he was expecting.

"Federal Agent, get your hands- Liat, are you trying to get shot?" He holstered his SIG and jumped back into the truck bed, sitting back down on the wheel well.

"I hope not," Liat answered. "Did you plan to shoot me?"

"I only shoot as a last resort. But answer me this: What are you doing in my truck at," Cooper checked his watch, "0400?"

"I was having trouble sleeping. I thought that maybe some fresh air would help."

"Did it?"

"Almost, until your flashlight hit me."

Cooper stretched out and threw his hands behind his head. "You're welcome to sleep out here, but my alarm's gonna go of at 0430."

Liat lay down next to Cooper and wrapped his arm around her, smiling.

"Comfortable?" Cooper asked.

"Very," Liat replied.

"Well, let me ask you something. "Why'd you kiss me?"

"Do you remember April of 2012?"

"Yeah. It was my second-to-last month in the Navy. My last assignment was on a Carrier, the _Eisenhower_. We docked at a port on the Haifa Coast for a two-week Liberty from 31 March to 14 April."

"And do you remember that bar just off the docks?"

"Of course I do. I broke up 15 fights a day there. The most memorable one that I broke up was 4 days before Liberty was supposed to end. This one chick went nuts on the X.O. And I couldn't bust the chick because she worked for the Israeli Government. She was pretty cute, though."

Liat started to smile. "That was me."

"It was?" Cooper couldn't believe it.

"Yes. And do you remember what you told me?"

"I think I said, 'If you weren't so damn cute, I'd knock you on the ground and drag you outta here in cuffs.' You laughed and dared me to do it, and then gave me your number. I remember thinking '_this is the strangest hook-up ever'_."

"And do you remember what happened the next day?"

"What, all the bombs falling? Of course I do. And that night..."

"You pushed me into an abandoned building to avoid the bombs. We had nobody but each other."

Cooper nodded. "I remember. And in the face of certain death, with no one else to turn to we ended up sleeping together. I got a call from the X.O. the next morning saying that the _Eisenhower_ was leaving port at 1500 that day. We said goodbye and went our separate ways."

"That is one reason why I volunteered for this. I saw your dossier on my control officer's desk and asked Director David to assign me to this mission. I knew that it was you back in Washington because you were the only person to ever call me 'Tinkerbell,' which I found cute. I kissed you to see if you actually **_were_** the same person."

Cooper kissed Liat on her nose. "Now here we are. You want me to show you around while everyone else is asleep?"

"Can we do that later? Right now, I just want to do what we never did in that building: Sleep."

"You don't have to tell me twice." He pulled her closer and they both finally fell asleep.


	7. Rude Awakening

0700.

Cooper got a rude awakening from Tony and McGeek after only three hours of sleep.

"Just rock the truck side-to-side, McGoo," Tony said. "They'll wake up."

"Tony, if either of them kills us, **_I_** am going to kill **_you_**," McGeek said.

Tony and McGeek started rocking the truck back and forth, and after a few minutes, Tony was locked in a chokehold with a SIG being pointed point-blank at his eyeball.

"Probie!"

McGeek ran over to Tony and started laughing. "It's just Cooper. Relax, Tony."

"What are you idiots doing?" Ziva was awake, and she heard the commotion outside. When she went to check it out, she saw Cooper pointing his SIG at Tony's eye.

"They started it," Cooper said, pointing to Tony and McGeek. After seeing the look on Ziva's face, Cooper holstered his SIG and released Tony.

"Unbelievable," Ziva snapped. "I have two children at home and three more standing right in front of me."

"Hey." The Three Stooges took the insult at face value.

"Cooper, you're the expert on this town," Tony said. "Where should we start looking for Morris?"

"There's quite a few places," Cooper replied. "Most of them don't open for a few hours. I'll help you search them, but I have a stop to make first."

"Where are you headed?" Tony asked.

"Gotta see my parents. Yesterday, I told my sister-in-law to go there until this is over. I also told her not to tell anybody what was going on until NCIS showed up." His phone started ringing. "Excuse me. Cooper."

"_Son, would you like to explain why Molly is sitting in my living room shaking like a nervous wreck right now?_"

"Oh, hey Dad. I'm actually on my way to see you right now to explain all of this."

"_When can we expect you?_"

"Uh, give me an hour. I just woke up."

"_Okay, see you then._" Click.

"McGee, head back to see Sheriff Fox," Tony ordered. "I want you to find everything on what happened to Cooper's sister. I want to see that case file. Cooper, I want that list of places that Morris might try hiding around here."

"Check your phone," Cooper said. "I just sent it to you, with addresses included."

"Showboat," Tony answered, checking his phone. Sure enough, he had the list. "Ziva, you're with me; we're gonna check these places out. Cooper, check in with your parents and tell them what's going on. They have a right to know. And don't let-"

"I know. Don't let Tinkerbell outta my sight. How many more times you plan to tell me?"

"Well, then, let's get going." Tony and Ziva headed to the Charger and left the motel parking lot. Cooper, meanwhile, had to wake up Liat. Or so he thought.

"Hey, Tinkerbell, wake up."

"I was awake 15 minutes ago." The direction of Liat's voice caused Cooper to look up. She tossed him her room key. "If you want to shower or shave."

"Thanks." He popped open the toolbox and grabbed what he would need, then jumped out of the truck and gave Liat a quick kiss as he walked by her.

Fifteen minutes passed, and Cooper emerged, cleaned up, clean-cut and clean-shaved.

"Let's go to work," he said when he and Liat were in the cab of the truck. He pulled away from the motel and headed to his parents' house, Colt Ford blaring through his speakers.

"_Back when life was simple as that. I didn't know I'd miss it so bad. This whole world had way less worries, nobody in a hurry. Yeah, back to mama's home-cookin' and Dad. I was baitin' my hook and sittin' on a tailgate, thinkin' 'bout those days. Just wish I was back._"


	8. Semper Fi

Cooper pulled up in front of his parents' house with 10 minutes to spare. He looked hesitant. This was the part of the job he always hated, even as an MP. The only difference was that none of the other Sailors, Marines or NCIS Agents had been family.

"Are you sure about this?" Liat's voice brought Cooper back to reality.

"Yeah, I am," Cooper replied. "The Corps hasn't notified the family yet. And in any case, I think I should be the one to do this. After all, he was my brother."

McGeek was at the police station, trying to get Fox to turn over the case file on Cooper's sister. So far, he was having no luck.

"Sheriff, that case file is pertinent to our investigation. And anyway, that case should have been handed over to NCIS in the first place. Why wasn't it?"

"You'd have to ask the old Sheriff. Good luck, by the way. Dunham scurried outta here six months ago."

"Great. Well, can I have the case file? Or do I have to charge you with interfering in a Federal Investigation?"

"Get a warrant."

"Sheriff, I didn't want to do this, but you forced my hand." McGeek pulled a piece of paper out of his notepad and wrote a phone number on it. "Call this number. That is the direct line for NCIS Director Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He will tell you what to do with that warrant."

"Did you say 'Gibbs'?"

"Yes, I did."

"I worked a case with him 20 years ago when I was with the Bureau. That man scares the shit out of me."

"Well, can I have the case file now? Or would you rather deal with Gibbs?" McGeek's voice was shaking with laughter at Fox's reaction.

"Hold on. Sheesh. I forgot how you NCIS guys could be complete bastards." Fox went back to get the file, and McGeek was shaking with laughter.

"And we thank you for that compliment." Hanging around Gibbs and Tony for the better part of the last 12 years was taking its toll on McGeek's sanity.

Cooper was sitting in his truck for the better part of that 10 minutes he had left. He didn't want to do this, but he had to. It was only when he felt Liat's hand on his shoulder that he knew he had to do it and finally got out of his truck.

"You coming?" Cooper asked.

Liat shook her head. "This is something that you must do alone. But I will be out here if you need me." She kissed him once more for luck.

Cooper grabbed his NCIS hat off the dashboard and walked up to the door, fishing his badge out of his pocket and keeping his head down. He was pounding on the door when his dad answered.

"We don't want whatever you're selling."

"NCIS," Cooper replied, doing his best Gibbs impression. "We have a few questions for you."

"My son works for NCIS."

Cooper raised his head slowly, smirking. "I know. May I come in, Dad?"

"How you doing, Doug?"

"I've had better days Sir," Cooper answered. "Can we talk inside? I think that Mom needs to hear this too."

"Yeah, come on in." Mr. Cooper stepped back and allowed his son to step inside.

"Place hasn't changed much," Cooper said, looking around and heading into the living room.

"These are tough times."

"Don't blame me. I voted for Gary Johnson." He started walking to the kitchen, with his dad on his heels.

"Doug, what is going on?"

Cooper stopped and turned to his dad. "Dad, You're ex-Army. You understand 'Need to Know.' Well, trust me. You, Mom, Molly and CJ all need to know what's going on." He walked into the kitchen, where his mom, sister-in-law and nephew were finishing breakfast. "Nobody move," he joked.

His mom got to him first. "It's been a long time," she said.

"Yeah, I know," Cooper replied. "The last time I left this town, I said I was never coming back. Well, I'm back. And it has to do with what happened to Nicole. Mom, Dad, sit down. Molly, you and CJ stay here." He took a deep breath, and his voice shook as he spoke. "Chris is dead. He was murdered on Saturday at our Embassy in Tel Aviv, the Capital of Israel, along with another Marine and a Mossad operative. NCIS has reason to believe that the same jack-hole that killed Nicole is responsible for the murders in Tel Aviv."

His phone beeped. He had a text from Tony: "_Abby confirmed. Morris is our suspect. And Fox is out of the loop._"

"What reason do you have to believe that your sister's killer killed Chris?" His mom asked.

"I just got a text from my boss. Our lab tech confirmed it. The bullets taken from Chris and the other two victims match the Navy-issue sidearm of Lieutenant Junior Grade David Morris. It's the same guy. What I am about to tell you, I say as a Federal Officer, not as family: Let NCIS and Mossad track him down. Our latest intel said that Morris is in Cusset. You cannot tell **_anyone any_** of this, **_especially_** Sheriff Fox. Are we clear?"

When the rest of his family murmured "yes," Cooper continued. "Chris's personal effects should arrive in the next two days. The military ceremony is going to be at Arlington National Cemetery next week." Cooper took off his hat. "I gotta get going. CJ, come here."

CJ walked up to his uncle, wiping his eyes. "Yeah?"

Cooper knelt down and placed his NCIS hat onto his nephew's head. "Take care of yourself. Behave. And remember, your daddy may be gone, but he's still here," Cooper pointed to CJ's heart. "He'll always be with you. Semper Fi." He hugged his nephew and then stood back up, trying not to let his family see him cry.

He masked it until he was outside. He hung his head over the tailgate of his truck and started to cry. First his sister, then his brother; he wasn't just crying for them. He was also crying for everyone else whose lives Morris had ruined when he shot up the Embassy.

He re-gained his composure and got back in the cab of the truck. He looked at Liat and said, "Let's go get this bastard."


	9. Reprimand Me Later

12 July. 1800.

Morris managed to stay one step ahead. One day, however, he slipped up. He went to the bar where everything first started. The bartender noticed and called Tony's cell, which he was given when Tony and Ziva were looking for Morris earlier in the week.

"_DiNozzo._"

"Agent DiNozzo, this is Tom, the bartender at Hole in the Wall. Your guy just showed up."

"_We're on our way. Stall him as long as you can._" Click.

Tony turned to Ziva. "We got him. You call McGee; I'll call Cooper."

Ziva nodded and called McGee while Tony called Cooper. McGee answered immediately and confirmed the address, saying he'd meet Tony and Ziva there. Cooper was proving to be more difficult to reach. (Gibbs Rule 3: Never be unreachable)

1755.

In the five days that Cooper had been back in Cusset, he had slipped back into the redneck fun he had grown up around. He had even managed to convince Liat to join in, and they were becoming closer and closer. It was a good thing that Tony didn't have a Rule 12, because the entire team noticed what was happening.

"_5-1-5-0. Somebody call the po-po. I'm goin' crazy thinkin' 'bout you, baby. 5-1-5-0. Just this side of loco. I'm goin' crazy. I think I love you, baby!_"

Cooper and Liat were at a swimming hole that only Cooper knew about. Cooper stripped down to his shorts before tying a rope to a tree and swinging into the water. He poked his head up and started whooping.

"Come on in!" He yelled to Liat. "The water's fine!" Liat shook her head. "Or are you chicken?" Cooper swam back to bank. "Hell," he said, "I'll go in with you."

"You will?"

"Oh, yeah. But trust me, you're gonna wanna strip down to your skivvies first. I learned that in sixth grade."

"Is there some place that I can strip down?"

"I've seen you naked before." At the look on Liat's face, Cooper pointed to his truck. "Use the truck. I promise I won't look," he added.

Five minutes later, Liat came out of the truck in her skivvies. All Cooper could think to say when he saw her was "Woof."

Liat smiled. "How is this done?"

Cooper walked her through it as he explained. "You grab the rope tight as you can. That's good. Then you take off running as fast as you can, anytime that you're ready. This part is really important: When you're out as far as the rope can go, let go and just fall into the water. You ready?"

"As ready as I will ever be."

Cooper grinned. She finally got an idiom right. "GO!"

They took off running and when they got over the water, Liat didn't let go of the rope. Cooper grabbed her when he let go and they both hit the water. When they came up, Liat was laughing, Cooper smiling. They shared a kiss that seemed to last a life time. At least until Cooper's phone started ringing.

"**_Damn it_**," Cooper said. "I'll be back." He swam back to bank and grabbed his phone. "Cooper."

"_You're a hard man to reach,_" came Tony's voice on the other end. "_I've been calling you for five minutes._"

"My bad, boss," Cooper replied. "I was kind of busy."

"_You and Liat get dressed and meet us at Hole in the Wall. Morris is there right now._"

"We're on our way." Click. He turned to see Liat emerging from the water. He went to the toolbox and grabbed a couple of towels. Tossing her one, he said, "Dry off and get dressed. We got a location on Morris."

"Where is he?"

"He's at the bar where this all started."

Cooper was already halfway dressed by the time he finished his sentence. He wore his flak vest under his shirt and laced up his boots. He had not only his SIG, but also his own Navy-issue Berretta holstered on his right ankle (concealed by his pant leg), and his grandfather's M1 Garand on the gun rack in his truck. The look on Liat's face said that she wanted to wrap up the case and watch Morris drop dead. Cooper had the same look on his face.

1900.

Even though they were the last two notified, Cooper and Liat were the first to the bar. The other three arrived within seconds of each other.

"You keep that M1 in the rack," Tony ordered Cooper. "We take him alive."

"Fine," Cooper said. He set the Garand on the front seat and drew his SIG.

The team entered the bar guns drawn, and spread out looking for Morris.

"Clear!" Tony yelled from the men's room.

"Clear!" McGeek from the store room.

"Clear!" Ziva from the ladies' room.

"Clear!" Cooper from the office.

"_Liat, is the kitchen clear?_" Tony asked over the radio. Silence. "_Cooper, check the kitchen._"

"On it," Cooper said.

He was almost to the kitchen when he heard tires squeal over his earwig. He ran outside and saw Morris driving off, so Cooper grabbed the Garand off his seat and started shooting. It was a good thing that he missed the trunk, because Morris had thrown Liat in there. The rest of the team heard the gunshots and ran out of the bar to see Cooper shooting at a white sedan.

Cooper's phone started ringing. He put it on speaker. "Cooper," he snapped.

"_Now, now, Petty Officer. Is that any way to greet your better?_"

"What do you want, Morris?"

"_Change your tone, Petty Officer-_"

"That's **_'Special Agent'_** Cooper, **_NCIS_**. And when I find you, I will kill you."

"_Well, Special Agent, do you think your Mossad girlfriend is gonna scream like your sister? Or is she gonna die like your brother, begging for mercy?_"

"Morris, if you lay **_one hand_** on her-"

"_Meet me at the barn where this really started. 2100 sharp. You come alone or she dies._" Click.

"FUCK!" Cooper threw his phone into his truck. "**_How in the blue fuck_** does he know that Liat's Mossad?"

"The only other person that knows that little detail is Sheriff Fox," McGeek said.

"McGee, Ziva, pick up Fox," Tony ordered. Then he turned to his Junior Agent. "There is no way in hell you are meeting Morris. Not by yourself."

"Tony, I mean no disrespect here, but I need to do this. I'm not gonna let what happened to my sister and God knows how many other women happen to Liat. And if I'm not alone, she dies. That sick bastard wants a war with me, he's got one. And what's that Rule 1 of yours? 'Don't sit on the sidelines when your people are in trouble,' right? Well, Liat's in trouble; I'm not sitting on the sidelines."

"Cooper, as your team leader, **_I order you_** not to go to that barn."

"Reprimand me later, DiNozzo." Cooper jumped into his truck and drove off, leaving Tony in a cloud of dust.


	10. Truly Living With No Regrets

2030.

Cooper showed up at the barn early, because he had a plan. He climbed to the top of the structure and snuck in through the hole that was in the roof. From his perch, he had an eagle-eye view of Morris. If the sick bastard hadn't started with Liat yet, he was bound to soon. Cooper still had his earwig in, and he could hear the entire conversation.

"_2045. Your boyfriend better show up soon or you're going to be number 12. His sister was my favorite. But I think she's going to be replaced by you._"

Liat was screaming obscenities in Hebrew and Arabic. Cooper could understand the Arabic and he smirked to himself. Until Morris slapped Liat in the face.

Cooper snapped and jumped down from his perch. Luckily, Morris didn't see or hear Cooper land. He drew his SIG and Berretta. He pressed the SIG up against Morris' skull, and the Berretta against his spine.

"It's your choice," Cooper snapped. "You wanna be dead or crippled?"

"You're early, Petty Officer," Morris said.

"I'm here. Now let her go, or you **_will_** die." Cooper cocked the hammers on his guns, but then threw them aside. "You ain't worth the shit you're molded out of. I think I'll just beat you to death instead. Now turn and face me."

"As you wish."

Morris turned and hit Cooper with a cheap shot. That was a big mistake. Cooper began throwing punches, kicks, elbows, knees and any other part of his body that he could use as a weapon. After a ten-minute brawl, Cooper delivered a final Spinning Heel Kick to the skull, and Morris dropped like a rock.

After cuffing Morris and picking up his guns, Cooper went over to Liat and cut her loose.

"We gotta do this again sometime," Cooper joked. "You know, minus the whole kidnapping thing. We should probably get outta here." He grabbed her hand and escorted her out as Police lights hit all sides of the barn.

Tony, Ziva and McGeek were waiting to breach when Cooper and Liat came walking out. Cooper stopped and turned to Tony. "Suspect is in cuffs, knocked out in the middle of the barn."

Liat had kept walking to Cooper's truck, and she was waiting for Cooper on the tailgate. "Hey," she said when she saw him.

"Hey," Cooper replied. "Can anyone sit up here, or do I need an invite?" Cooper jumped up on the tailgate and pulled Liat close. "Well, it's done. Morris is in custody; the investigation's over."

"So it is."

"Guess you'll be heading back to Tel Aviv, then?"

"No. I was transferred to the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C."

"So I'll be seeing you around Washington?"

"You will."

"When we get back to DC, d'you maybe wanna go out with me sometime?"

Liat beamed. "I would love that." She kissed Cooper like she did when they first arrived in Cusset.

Cooper's trip down memory lane had many different effects. For one, his family finally had closure after what happened to his sister. For the town, it meant the loss of a corrupt Sheriff.

Cooper himself shook off his week-long fling with Agent Harper (The reason he couldn't stand the song _Anything But Mine_), and he found that cute, crazy Israeli chick he'd met on his last assignment in the Navy, the one that he thought about constantly since the Carrier he was on had left the Haifa Coast. He had his family, Liat, and a great job, all of which he loved. Now he truly was living with no regrets.

"_Yeah, I'm chillin' on a dirt road. Laid back, swervin' like I'm George Jones. Smoke rollin' out the window, an ice-cold beer sittin' in the console. Memory lane up in the headlights. It's got me reminiscin' on them good times. I'm turnin' off a real life drive. And that's right; I'm hittin' easy street on mud tires._"


End file.
